Method for speed compensation of a shaped charge jet, and missile

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for attacking a target by means of a missile ( 1 ) with at least one shaped charge, the direction of action of which differs from the direction of flight of the missile, and to a missile ( 1 ) comprising at least one shape charge ( 2 ) arranged to act in a direction ( 4 ) that differs from the direction of flight ( 5 ) of the missile. The shaped charge jet is corrected for the speed of the missile ( 1 ). According to the invention, the correction of the shaped charge jet is adjustable, whereby the lethality of the missile can be achieved within a wide range of speeds of the missile.

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for attacking a targetby means of a missile with at least one shaped charge, the direction ofaction of which differs from the direction of flight of the missile, inwhich the jet of the shaped charge is corrected for the speed of themissile. The invention also relates to a missile comprising at least oneshaped charge arranged to act in a direction that differs from thedirection of flight of the missile, which shaped charge is provided witha correction device for correcting the jet of the shaped charge based onthe different directions of movement of the missile and the shapedcharge jet. A missile according to the above is well suited, forexample, for attacking the weaker parts of a tank, that is the upperside.

[0002] In GB 2 006 400 and GB 2 006 935 the introduction of speedcompensation of a shaped charge jet with a direction of action whichdiffers from the direction of flight of the missile is already known.The speed compensation that is introduced is of the same order ofmagnitude irrespective of the speed of the missile when it reaches thetarget. Such speed compensation achieves its objectives in the case whenthe speed of the missile in the direction of flight remains within anarrow range of speeds for which the speed compensation has beendesigned. If, however, the missile is designed to approach a target withchanging speeds in the direction of flight, its lethality will begreatly lessened outside this narrow range of speeds.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to achieve a method thatprovides the missile with great lethality within a wide range of speeds,and a missile that has great lethality within a wide range of speeds.

[0004] The object of the invention is achieved by a method characterizedin that the correction of the shaped charge jet is designed to beadjustable, and by a missile characterized in that the correction deviceof the missile is designed to be able to adjust the correction of theshaped charge jet. By making the speed compensation adjustable, thecorrection of the missile's shaped charge jet is adjusted to the speedof the missile, and good lethality is achieved within a wide range ofspeeds of the missile.

[0005] According to an advantageous embodiment, the speed of the missileis measured during its flight towards the target, and the correction ofthe shaped charge jet is carried out based on the measured speed of themissile. The speed of the missile can suitably be obtained by measuringits acceleration and integrating. The correction can be carried out inone or more steps during the flight of the missile. Alternatively, thecorrection can be carried out continuously during the flight of themissile. The demands for precision of correction, reliability, cost,etc, can determine the correction method.

[0006] According to another advantageous method, the correction iscarried out in the missile's launcher before the missile is launched,based on information concerning, among other thing, the distance to thetarget. The method is based on knowing the missile's speed patternrelatively well in advance and therefore being able to pre-set thecorrection that applies for the speed of the missile when it reaches thetarget, as the distance to the target is known. The speed of the missiledoes not therefore need to be measured in this method. In order toachieve a more reliable correction, further information can be provided,such as information about the speed of the target, temperature of themissile or of the launcher, wind conditions or special characteristicsof the weapon.

[0007] The correction device incorporated in the missile can be designedin many ways in order to achieve the intended correction of the shapedcharge jet of the missile. Particularly recommended are the introductionof a movable initiation point, the incorporation of an external movablemask, the division of the shaped charge into two parts that can move inrelation to each other, the incorporation of a movable shaped chargecone, the incorporation of a waveguide arranged in the shaped charge,which waveguide is designed with a cavity within which an element can bemoved.

[0008] Movements of the correction device can similarly be achieved invarious ways. Particularly recommended are the introduction of one ormore electric motors arranged in the missile, such as stepping motors,the incorporation of a propulsive element such as gunpowder, theincorporation of magnets or the incorporation of pneumatic or hydraulicsystems.

[0009] Other further developments will be apparent from the patentclaims attached to the description.

[0010] In the following, the invention will be described in greaterdetail in exemplified form, with reference to the attached figures, inwhich:

[0011]FIG. 1 shows schematically an example according to the inventionof a missile with speed compensation of the shaped charge jet

[0012]FIGS. 2a-2 e show schematically fire different ways of achievingadjustable speed compensation of the jet of a shaped charge.

[0013]FIG. 3 shows a further example according to the invention of amissile with speed compensation of the shaped charge jet, in which themissile is shown in an associated launcher and is directed towards atarget.

[0014] The missile 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a shaped charge 2 with ashaped charge cone 3 directed so that the shaped charge jet leaves themissile 1 in a direction 4 essentially at right angles to the directionof flight 5 of the missile. In the missile 1 there is a device 6 whichrecords the speed of the missile during the flight. The speed-recordingdevice can, for example, consist of an accelerometer with signalintegration. Another alternative for measuring the speed is to use agyro or turbine.

[0015]FIG. 2a shows a first example of adjustable speed compensation.For the shaped charge 2 in this case, the adjustment is achieved bymeans of the initiation point 7 of the shaped charge being arranged tobe able to be moved above the tip of the shaped charge cone 3. Arrows8-12 indicate the possible movements that the initiation point 7 canmake.

[0016]FIG. 2b shows another example of adjustable speed regulation. Inthis case, an external mask 13 is arranged on the outside of the shapedcharge 2. By moving the mask 13 relative to the shaped charge 2 indirections that are indicated by the arrows 14-17, adjustment of thedirection of the shaped charge jet is achieved.

[0017] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2c, the shaped charge 2 isdivided with two parts 2.1 and 2.2 with a dividing plane 18 above theshaped charge cone 3. Arrows 19-21 indicate how the partial charge 2 acan be moved in relation to the partial charge 2 b.

[0018] The embodiment shown in FIG. 2d has a shaped charge cone 3 thatcan be moved within the shaped charge 2. Arrows 22-26 indicate how theshaped charge cone can be moved.

[0019] In the proposed embodiment according to FIG. 2e, the waveguide 27of the shaped charge is used. The waveguide is designed with a cavity 28with a movable element 29 inside the cavity. The movement of the element29 is determined by the speed of the missile. The function of theelement 29 is to locally increase the shock-wave speed in order therebyto create a penetration of the detonation front in the waveguide. Theasymmetry created by the element 29 is expected to give aspeed-compensated shaped charge jet. Arrows 30 and 31 indicate how theelement 29 and the waveguide 27 can move.

[0020] It can be pointed out here that the embodiments according to theFIGS. 2a-2 d also normally comprise waveguides. As these waveguides haveno particular effect on the adjustable correction of the shaped chargejet, they have been omitted in the figures.

[0021] The movements described with reference to the FIGS. 2a-2 e can beachieved in many ways. For example, an electric motor can be used, andfor correction in steps a stepping motor is particularly suitable. It isalso possible to use some form of propulsive element, for example apowder charge. Movement can also be achieved by means of(electro-)magnets. Other methods of achieving movement can be based onpneumatics or hydraulics.

[0022] In the following, a further embodiment of the missile 1 isdescribed, where the correction that is to be introduced into themissile's shaped charge jet is set before launching, that is when themissile is inside the launcher 32 from which it is to be fired.

[0023]FIG. 3 shows an operator 33 who is aiming the weapon at a target34 in the form, for example, of a tank. The operator uses a range-finder35 arranged on the outside of the launcher 32. The missile 1 is insidethe launcher 32 and comprises a shaped charge 2. The range-finder 35,which can be independent, provides information about the distance to thetarget 34 and may also measure the target's speed. There can beequipment in the missile 1 or its launcher 32 for measuring temperature.A wind-speed motor and a timer can also be included. In the figure, theequipment for measuring temperature and wind and the timer are showncontained in a common housing 36.

[0024] The weapon works as follows. When the operator aims at thetarget, information is obtained about at least the distance to thetarget. Based on the distance information and any other information, forexample as above, the speed of the missile when it approaches the targetcan be estimated and hence the correction of the shaped charge can beadjusted before launching. The above applies on the assumption that thespeed of the missile as a function of the distance covered is known. Theprocessing of the available information and the estimation of the speedcan be carried out in a processing unit 37 housed in the missile 1. Whenthe missile leaves the launcher, the shaped charge is thus adjusted toprovide the optimal lethality.

[0025] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above,but can be modified within the scope of the following patent claims andinvention concept.

1. A method for attacking a target by means of a missile with at leastone shaped charge, the direction of action of which differs from thedirection of flight of the missile, in which the jet of the shapedcharge is corrected for the speed of the missile, characterized in thatthe correction of the shaped charge jet is designed to be adjustable. 2.A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the speed of themissile during its flight towards the target is measured and in that thecorrection of the shaped charge jet is carried out on the basis of themeasured speed of the missile.
 3. A method according to any one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the speed of the missile ismeasured by measuring its acceleration and integrating.
 4. A methodaccording to any one or the preceding claims, characterized in that thecorrection for the speed of the missile is carried out in one or moresteps during the flight of the missile.
 5. A method according to any oneof claims 1-2, characterized in that the correction for the speed of themissile is carried out continuously during the flight of the missile. 6.A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the correction iscarried out in the missile's launcher before the missile is launched,based among other things on information about the distance to thetarget.
 7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that, inaddition to information about the distance to the target, the correctionis based on at least one of the following, namely information about thespeed of the target, temperature in the missile or launcher, windconditions or special characteristics of the weapon.
 8. A missilecomprising at least one shaped charge arranged to act in a directionthat differs from the direction of flight of the missile, which shapedcharge is provided with a correction device for correcting the jet ofthe shaped charge on the basis of the different directions of movementof the missile and the shaped charge jet, characterized in that themissile's correction device is designed to be able to adjust thecorrection of the shaped charge jet.
 9. A missile according to claim 8,characterized in that the correction device comprises an initiationpoint for the shaped charge which is designed to be movable foradjusting the correction of the shaped charge jet.
 10. A missileaccording to claim 8, in which the correction device comprises anexternal mask in association with the shaped charge for speedcorrection, characterized in that the external mask is arranged to bemovable for adjusting the correction of the shaped charge jet.
 11. Amissile according to claim 8, characterized in that the correctiondevice comprises a shaped charge divided into two parts that can move inrelation to each other with a dividing plane outside the shaped chargecone, the adjustment of the speed correction being achieved by means ofmovement of the two parts that can be moved in relation to each other.12. A missile according to claim 8, characterized in that the correctiondevice comprises a shaped charge cone arranged so that it can moverelative to the shaped charge for adjusting the speed correction.
 13. Amissile according to claim 8, characterized in that the correctiondevice comprises a waveguide arranged in the shaped charge, whichwaveguide is designed with a cavity within which an element can be movedfor adjusting the speed correction.
 14. A missile according to any oneof claims 8-13, characterized in that one or more electric motors, suchas stepping motors, are arranged to achieve the movements of thecorrection device.
 15. A missile according to any one of claims 8-13,characterized in that a propulsive element, such as gunpowder, isarranged to achieve the movements of the correction device.
 16. Amissile according to any one of claim 8-13, characterized in that one ormore magnets are arranged to achieve the movements of the correctiondevice.
 17. A missile according to any one of claims 8-13, characterizedin that pneumatic or hydraulic systems are arranged to achieve themovements of the correction device.
 18. A missile according to any oneof claims 8-17, characterized in that a speed-measuring device isarranged in the missile to measure the speed of the missile duringflight.
 19. A missile according to any one of claims 8-17, characterizedin that a range-finding device is arranged to measure the distance tothe target before launching and that the correction device pre-sets thecorrection of the shaped charge jet based on, among other things, thedistance information.